


Unafraid of Toil

by impassivetemerity



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Hogwarts AU, Hufflepuff boyfriends, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Reiner punching werewolves nbd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-04
Updated: 2014-03-04
Packaged: 2018-01-14 13:55:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1268866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impassivetemerity/pseuds/impassivetemerity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reiner is perfectly aware of the fact that charging an attacking werewolf and punching it on the side of the head is not a smart idea. But when said werewolf is attacking his best friend, there isn't really such a thing as time to make a smart decision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unafraid of Toil

Reiner is perfectly aware of the fact that charging an attacking werewolf and punching it on the side of the head is not a smart idea. But when said werewolf is attacking his best friend, there isn't really such a thing as time to make a smart decision. The punch at least gets the werewolf off of Bertholdt--shit, he's bleeding so much, and there's a mark that is definitely a bite tearing through his shirt and the skin on his shoulder. However, the creature is now  _very_ pissed off and  _very_  intent on attacking Reiner, and not in the way that he would live through. (A small price to pay, really, but that would mean that Bertholdt would be left defenseless with a very pissed off, very murderous half-animal, and he couldn't let that happen.)

As Reiner inserts himself between Bertholdt an the werewolf a burst of pain surges across his chest, a similar one blooming over his forearm when he holds it up to try as throw it back at least a few steps. The creature does not so much as budge, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Reiner returns it with a growl of his own, an unspoken challenge coming as he meets its eyes. (He'd give anything for his wand right now, but that wasn't an option.)

"Come on, you fucker," Reiner barks.

Before he has a chance to do anything else, he's on the ground, claws digging into his throat--God it hurts, white hot, searing pain blazing across his nerves with such intensity that he feels like throwing up. (It hurts, it hurts so much.) Reiner's pretty sure that this is what dying feels like, pain and blood and wanting to throw up while he listens to Bertholdt wheeze and sob in German. ( _I'm sorry_ , he sobs,  _I'm sorry. Don't die, please._ ) More than anything he wants to fight back, to make this fucking monster sorry for hurting his best fucking friend, but apparently the game is up and his cards are complete shit. Words leave his mouth that are garbled with the sheer amount if blood in his mouth, but hopefully Bertl can hear him. (His vision is going black when magic cracks through the air, it's so cold, so warm too, but he's less and heavy,  _I'm sorry Bertholdt, I'm sorry. I wanted to help. You're so great.)_  He just wanted to help his best friend. (The world is floating around him when everything goes blissfully black and numb.)

\----

Everything hurts. Everything hurts and his hand is so cramped. (God he has to piss.) Reiner's voice is all but gone and his throat burns when he tries to speak. (Water would be great right now.) He tries to lift his cramping hand, attempting to flex it when he discovers that it is very much attached to something. (Someone, as he discovers moments later.) A tan hand is clutching his own pale one, connected to Bertholdt, who is passed out next to him. Tears have streaked his skin, eyes swollen even though they're closed. An apology is on Reiner's lips, weighing them down, useless without a voice to convey it. (He's so sorry, it was stupid of him, but they're both alive and that's the most important thing right now.) Thankfully Bertholdt doesn't wake up until Reiner actually nudges him after the urge to go to the bathroom becomes unbearable.

The other boy stirs with a heavy sigh, eyes blinking once before snapping open, long arms curling around Reiner a little too hard.

"Hey, hey. It's okay," Reiner rasps finally, throat protesting against each word. (The pain could go fuck itself for all he cared right now.)

"I thought you weren't going to wake up." If Bertholdt had any tears left they would be flowing, instead his eyes just burn as he tries to cry.

"And leave you to dodge bludgers alone?"

Bertholdt smiles, (what a great thing to see again) and Reiner's almost certain things are going to be okay.

The next thing out of Bertholdt's mouth is an apology, which Reiner waves away, only for it to be followed up with a quiet whisper of, "I'm not going to return to Hogwarts this year."

"Why," is Reiner's response, a little too harsh on his throat, but he couldn't stop it, panic and worry seeping into his skin like ice. If it was the school insisting, he'd go there himself to fight whomever made the decision.

"I'm dangerous," the other student responds. "What if I hurt someone like the person who attacked me?"

Surges of protest come from Reiner's wounds while he pushes himself up, trying not to move too quickly.

"Did anyone tell you that you couldn't come back?"

There's hesitation in his best friend's voice. "No."

"Why?" he asks again, insistent this time on explanation.

"I can't risk hurting anyone else after you almost died," Bertholdt explains. "It's not fair to anyone."

"Like yourself."

The other Hufflepuff's mouth opens to protest, but a mediwizard interrupts them, informing the pair that Reiner's Healer would be in soon now that he's awake.

Later, after a myriad of tests were run and being informed that he would make a full recovery, Reiner is back in bed, examining his scars (apparently nothing would heal them despite the Healer's best efforts--things could be worse, he thinks, and besides, they're pretty cool) when Bertholdt enters the room, knocking on the doorframe before stepping inside.

"Can I stay tonight?" His eyes go right to Reiner's scars before being cast down to the floor.

Reiner nods, moving over to allow his friend a space in the bed. Without a word, Bertholdt climbs in, long limbs managing to fit inside the bed completely. He hesitates for a moment, eying Reiner's hand instead of taking it. Words balance on his lips, most of them apologies that he can never hope to express enough, not when Reiner is branded like this forever, jagged pink marks marring his skin.

"This isn't your fault," Reiner murmurs, sliding his hand over Bertholdt's, thumb brushing against the back of it.

"But..." he starts, only to be cut off by a finger on his lips.

"Not tonight. We can talk about this later." A pause. "You're still not going to change my mind."

(For some reason, Bertholdt sleeps easier knowing that, curled against Reiner as his hair is stroked gently, soft words of encouragement murmured to him as he falls into a dreamless sleep.)

**Author's Note:**

> A little thing from capeswithhoods and I's hogwarts AU with Reiner and Bertl who has the misfortune of being attacked by a werewolf in the summer between second and third year. And hufflepuff Reiner because if anyone is a honey badger, it is him. Also badgers are cool as fuck.


End file.
